A Trip to Remember - My Approach to Post-grad Traveling (1 of 2)

What to do after the whirlwind that was senior year and graduation (and before work starts)?

I had been thinking about doing a post-grad trip for quite some time, as it was something that several older friends had highly recommended.

• Pro-tip #1: Have a Carpe diem mentality! 

In the end, I was fortunate enough to make six stops in places I had never been before and actually ended up flying in an entire loop around the globe.  This was definitely not the initial plan, and as I started to explore different options I was getting hesitant on whether or not I could swing it.

At the end of the day though, when was the next time I would have a full month off once work starts? During my time in college I realized I loved traveling, meeting new people, and experiencing new cultures, so why not go for it (and maintain this mentality throughout the trip)!

• Pro-tip #2: Don't let finances prevent you from going, be strategic - plan and save ahead of time.

Next, I had to begin to build a rough budget and narrow down where I would actually like to go.  In terms of financing, I actually started initially saving for my trip during my summer internship before senior year.  I paid for my entire trip on my own dime, so don't assume I just had the folks lay out the cash while I planned all the fun stuff.  I understand not letting finances hinder you from going somewhere is easier said than done.  Also, I'm not saying you have to go all out and fly around the world - anyone should be able to have some sort of unique travel experience (even if that is cross-country road trip for instance) with disciplined saving, some scrappiness, and a long term mindset. The hardest legitimate hurdle to jump is simply getting enough time off - and you'll never have more of that than the summer before you start a new gig after college!

• Pro-tip #3: See if you can ask for some advice from (or better yet travel with) people who have been there, done that. 

This especially applies if you are like me and may have less than a week in each location (I made six stops, 5 days each).  Traveling spontaneously to places you know nothing about and going with the flow is an awesome option - I've met many very interesting people by staying at hostels and going on unplanned adventures.  However, I think if time is limited, it is beyond helpful to have at least some idea of where you are going, what are must-sees, what is over-rated, etc.  I was lucky enough to plan my trip entirely around friends I could visit and/or stay with in each place.  It was awesome to have a place to stay of course, but more so than that I loved spending time with friends that I didn't always see all the time during school and letting them show me around where they grew up - it made for a super cool, fun, and localized experience. 

• Pro-tip #4: Don't have a rigid plan and accept that things won't always go as expected. 

Having a general plan was important to me since, as I mentioned I only had limited time at each stop. With that in mind, being open to unexpected adventures often leads to the most memorable experiences - such as celebrating Ramadan and the Iftar dinner in Dubai with a newly made friend, meeting a U.S. men's national soccer team defender, or surfing in Hawaii and seeing a sea turtle.  There is, of course, the flip side of the coin of unexpected events as well - like nearly missing a flight, running out of much needed cash in a cash-only train station, or stepping on a sea urchin.  Either way, flexibility and adaptability is the name of the game.

• Pro-tip #5: Take note of the places you go, sites you see, food you try, etc.  

I always wished that I was multi-lingual (still a long-term goal), but alas my English-only vocabulary results in rather humorous attempts at saying things in Japanese, Hindi, Spanish...the list goes on.  My point here is that I could hardly pronounce many of the places I went or food I tried during my trip, let alone remember the specific names and meanings weeks later.  I have always found it very valuable to sit down each night and make a quick note of where I went, the cool things I saw or ate, and pretty much anything traditional or unique to that country that I found interesting.  It only takes 5-10 minutes, and I definitely thank myself down the line when I want to look back at my visit to a particular place.  Simple notes bring back fantastic memories.

• Pro-tip # 6: Clear space on your device to take plenty of photos, but also be sure to look through more than just the screen of a phone at each stop.

I am the first one to admit I probably take too many photos - but hey, I'm okay with that.  One of the reasons I do it is because I personally love to bring my experiences back home to my family who may not have had the chance to go where I've been.  To me, sharing photos from my experience is a neat way to spark fun stories and conversations with everyone back home.  That being said, I also think it is important to put down the DSLR, iPhone, Samsung (especially if it's the Galaxy S7), GoPro, selfie stick....do I need to go on?  The perfect picture is great to share on your Instagram, but keep in mind you can always Google a picture - you can't teleport back to the place (for now at least).

These are just a few thoughts that come to mind as I reflect back on my trip.  I hope you find them helpful - and if you are on the fence about going somewhere new, I hope you decide to take the leap now or in the future.  Let me know where you end up!

@jreed0614

Winter Break, Remembering My Grandfather

This past Friday, December 18th, would have been my grandfather's (Pop Pop as we called him) 86th birthday.  I know everyone has a time and place, but it is hard to fathom not having him in our lives anymore.  Saying goodbye last spring was the hardest thing I've had to do in my lifetime. 

The holiday season is not the same without his radiant, fun-loving personality.  I remember getting back from a semester studying abroad in Dublin at about this time last year.  I had brought back countless souvenirs for family and friends, but the one thing that I was absolutely most excited to give was a sweatshirt - a zip-up hoodie with "Sicilia" sewn on the chest.  I had made it a goal to visit Sicily while abroad and bring something back for Pop Pop, a very proud Italian who had never made it back to the place where his parents left to come to the U.S. before he was born.

As Christmas nears, I am more thankful than ever to be home and spending time with my family for my final collegiate winter break.  However, I can't help but shake the feeling of something - someone - missing.  Several things have changed over the past year, and unfortunately we lost our dog Pal last spring as well after 15 great years.  All of this being said, I have come to realize that change is the only constant in life, and I want to focus for the next few weeks on the amazing years that I've been lucky enough to spend with my family, Pop Pop, loyal dog, and those that have had such a positive impact on my life.  In honor of my grandfather, I also wanted to share a few words I wrote up in remembering him last spring:

     I have taken many different kinds of classes up at Boston College, and I have learned a lot.  But Pop Pop has taught me more important lessons than any class ever could - one of the most notable things I can think of is to be a genuinely good person who everyone enjoys being around.  This sounds simple, but it is easier said than done, and I have honestly never met someone with a more positive, happy-go-lucky attitude than him.  He was an authentic & truly good-hearted person, an amazing father and husband, and the best grandfather anyone could ask for.  I will always cherish the moments I spent with him, whether it be outside working in his garage, or sitting on the Gator behind our produce stand in the summer.  More often than not, if there was a lull in customer activity, I could always count on Pop Pop to joyfully drum up a song (or three), usually utilizing his cane as a makeshift guitar.
     In addition, I am so thankful I arrived home for spring break this week and decided to stop by the house to have lunch and say hi on Monday.  Something that will not cease to amaze me, as I have already mentioned, is Pop Pop’s unwavering friendly and happy character.  He somehow continued to put on a smile up until we arrived at the hospital on Monday - he was too weak to speak much, but after a nurse handed him a few papers to sign, he gave them back with a classic wink and a grin. The nurse smiled back of course, and as Mom Mom said, he was “never too tired to flirt.” 
     Overall, I just wanted to say thank you Pop Pop.  Thank you for your laughs, your playfully sarcastic comments, and of course your entertaining songs.  Thank you for always being a shining example of what it means to work hard, have fun, and fill those around you with happiness.  I am going to continue to think of you in all that I do, and I can only hope to live up to be half the person you were.  I hope I am able to keep making you proud - and don’t worry, I’ll keep doing my best to save a buck or two whenever the opportunity presents itself :). 

 

Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday and new year!

A Week at Harvard Business School

This past week I was fortunate enough to attend Harvard Business School's 32nd annual Summer Venture in Management Program.  The program is essentially a week long introduction to HBS for rising undergraduate seniors interested in pursuing business school in the future.  I had the opportunity to engage in class discussions lead by HBS faculty on current management issues, analyze real-business cases with fellow students, and gain exposure to the benefits of HBS and other top MBA programs.

We read and discussed 14 HBS cases over the course of the week, on topics including creative industries marketing, entrepreneurship, human capital strategy, and national economic policy.  As can be expected, the courses were fantastic, and I learned a lot - but the most valuable part of the experience was certainly the people, both students and faculty, that I was fortunate enough to meet.  There was an extremely diverse pool of students in attendance from schools across the country who are currently interning at firms ranging from Disney to Bain & Company (and several fellow Googlers!).  I very much look forward to seeing where everyone ends up in a few years.  As for the faculty, I certainly feel comfortable in saying they are among the best in the world in their respective fields.  One professor, Anita Elberse, made a particularly strong impact on myself and everyone in attendance.  For lack of a better way of putting it: her 'coolness' factor is through the roof.  She is a genuine and easy going person, yet extremely on point in her teaching, expertise, and professionalism.  I am so grateful she was able to dedicate some of her time to us during the week.

Overall, it was humbling to be surrounded by such intelligent and driven people and attend one of the world's best educational institutions - and I definitely cannot forget to thank the faculty who worked so hard to make SVMP possible.  Thank you for an experience that I know will have a profoundly positive impact on my life moving forward. 

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